Umbilical Complications That Require Surgical Intervention after Gynecologic Laparoscopic Surgery

In laparoscopic surgery, the trocar is often inserted through the umbilicus because of the ease of insertion and inconspicuous postoperative scar formation. However, postoperative complications that require plastic surgical intervention may occur to the umbilicus.

We reviewed 14 patients who received plastic surgery for umbilical issues following gynecologic laparoscopic surgery in our department from January 2015 to September 2021.

Most complications requiring umbilical surgery post gynecologic laparoscopic surgery include local infections, scar contractures, ectopic endometriosis, and umbilical necrosis. Mass resection and umbilical formation procedures were performed under general or local anesthesia. After a follow-up period of 6 months following surgery, no incidences of tumor development or recurrence of infection were seen, and the hypertrophic scar at the wound site gradually healed after the complete removal of the tumor and adequate suturing. Pathologically, 90% of the cases with keloid-like collagen disorder had concomitant inflammatory diseases such as epidermal cysts and abscesses.

The majority of umbilical complications associated with laparoscopic surgery were predicted to be due to implantation of epithelial and tumor components during laparoscopic surgery and delayed postoperative inflammation. Therefore, it is necessary to educate surgeons about general measures of local infection control and careful surgical manipulation to prevent umbilical problems associated with laparoscopic surgery.